diff --git a/wormhole/utils.py b/wormhole/utils.py
index 15e5385..d6cfef5 100644
--- a/wormhole/utils.py
+++ b/wormhole/utils.py
@@ -215,26 +215,30 @@ def generate_invite_code(length: int = 8) -> str:
 def sanitise_mentions(content: str, config: dict) -> str:
     """Legacy mention control — kept for backwards compatibility."""
     if config.get("strip_everyone"):
-        content = content.replace("@everyone", "@\u200beveryone").replace("@here", "@\u200bhere")
+        content = content.replace("@everyone", "").replace("@here", "")
     if config.get("strip_role_mentions"):
-        content = re.sub(r"<@&(\d+)>", r"@role", content)
+        content = re.sub(r"<@&\d+>\s?", "", content)
     if config.get("strip_user_mentions"):
-        content = re.sub(r"<@!?(\d+)>", r"@user", content)
+        content = re.sub(r"<@!?\d+>\s?", "", content)
+    if content != content:
+        content = re.sub(r"  +", " ", content).strip()
     return content
 
 
 def apply_mention_policy(content: str, policy: dict, author_id: int, exempt_users: list) -> str:
-    """Apply granular mention policy. If the user is exempt, mentions pass through."""
+    """Apply granular mention policy — blocked mentions are stripped entirely."""
     if author_id in exempt_users:
         return content
     if not policy.get("allow_everyone", False):
-        content = content.replace("@everyone", "@\u200beveryone")
+        content = content.replace("@everyone", "")
     if not policy.get("allow_here", False):
-        content = content.replace("@here", "@\u200bhere")
+        content = content.replace("@here", "")
     if not policy.get("allow_role_mentions", False):
-        content = re.sub(r"<@&(\d+)>", "@\u200brole", content)
-    if not policy.get("allow_user_mentions", True):
-        content = re.sub(r"<@!?(\d+)>", "@\u200buser", content)
+        content = re.sub(r"<@&\d+>\s?", "", content)
+    if not policy.get("allow_user_mentions", False):
+        content = re.sub(r"<@!?\d+>\s?", "", content)
+    # Collapse any leftover double-spaces from removals
+    content = re.sub(r"  +", " ", content).strip()
     return content
 
 
diff --git a/wormhole/wormhole.py b/wormhole/wormhole.py
index d77cabf..f22da8a 100644
--- a/wormhole/wormhole.py
+++ b/wormhole/wormhole.py
@@ -243,10 +243,10 @@ _DEFAULT_NETWORK = {
     # ── Phase 5 ──
     # Granular mention policy
     "mention_policy": {
-        "allow_user_mentions": True,   # allow @user pings to relay as real pings
-        "allow_role_mentions": False,  # allow @role pings
-        "allow_everyone": False,       # allow @everyone
-        "allow_here": False,           # allow @here
+        "allow_user_mentions": False,  # strip @user pings from relayed messages
+        "allow_role_mentions": False,  # strip @role pings
+        "allow_everyone": False,       # strip @everyone
+        "allow_here": False,           # strip @here
     },
     "server_mention_overrides": {},    # {guild_id_str: {same keys as mention_policy}}
     "mention_exempt_users": [],        # user IDs allowed to bypass mention policy